WATCH: Rhett Lashlee previews SMU at Rice
SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee met with the media on Wednesday to preview the matchup with Rice on Saturday. Lashlee has the Mustangs focused on capturing a seventh win this season and staying unbeaten in AAC play.
The Rice offense has Lashlee and the coaching staff focused on defending a different quarterback than the Mustangs have faced early in conference play.
“Mike’s done a great job. They could easily be 6-2 just like us,” Lashlee told reporters. Playing really good football. Beat Houston, played Texas really well for most of that game, had Tulane down the wire the other day and was a play away here or there. So, I think they’re a different team than they’ve been. I think the reason they’re different team is they got a big time quarterback. I mean, JT (Daniels), we all know his history coming out of high school and everywhere he’s been but look, he had the talent all along for a reason. I think they’ve done a really good job of building around what he and the rest of their roster do well.”
Rice comes into this game 4-4 overall with the chance to get bowl eligible once again. Lashlee reiterated that his team will respect the opponent in front of them on the schedule despite a few lopsided wins.
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“We respect everyone. We respect how hard it is to win,” Lashlee said. “You turn on the film, yes they played Tulane well, but you don’t have to see that to know that Rice is a really good football team this year. They’re good on offense. They’re good on defense. They’re solid on special teams. They don’t beat themselves, they make you beat them. And they are capable of beating you, as well, which like said, just ask Houston.
“So I think our guys are in a good place that, I don’t know if they even know what the score of the Tulane game was. I mean, we haven’t told them and they respect who we’re going to play and how hard it’s going to be to beat them.”
